Bearing assemblies are well known and are commonly used to support shafts, axles and other rotating components that may be present in various types of industrial equipment, vehicles and other machinery. Such bearing assemblies often include seals to form barriers in order to preclude the entry of external contaminants into the bearings and also to preclude lubricants from escaping from within the bearings. These seals each typically include a flexible seal portion. In some cases, the seals include multiple components, wherein one or more of the components rotate with the shaft and other components remain static.
There are certain difficulties that must be addressed with seals that include both rotating and non-rotating components, as metal-on-metal contact between the components can lead to friction and wear. When this occurs, the seal may become damaged or destroyed resulting in a bearing failure. Unfortunately, the replacement of a damaged seal and/or bearing can be difficult, time-consuming and usually results in an extended period of down time during which the machinery is out of service.
Known equipment, such as material handling equipment (e.g., rotary airlocks for pneumatically conveying particulate material, diverter valves, splitter valves and bucket valves) is be specifically constructed to include either inboard or outboard bearing configurations. Such equipment includes end plates that are specifically adapted for either inboard bearings or outboard bearings. Therefore, end users must decide if they need an inboard or outboard bearing configuration based on anticipated system performance parameters. Once the equipment is installed, if the actual system performance parameters differ from the anticipated performance parameters or if changes in application occur, the end user may have to exchange all or a portion (e.g., end plates) the original equipment for replacement equipment having a different (inboard or outboard) bearing configuration. For example, if an end user selects a rotary airlock with an inboard bearing configuration and then determines that the material passing through the rotary airlock is too abrasive, or a higher conveying pressure is required, or excessive heat is being produced, then the end user must purchase an entirely new end plate or even rotary airlock with an outboard bearing configuration. Such replacement of the end plate or entire rotary airlock adds unnecessary cost and reconfiguration steps.
Thus, a need exists for a bearing assembly in which rotating metallic components are not in contact with non-rotating metallic components of the assembly. A need also exists for a means for axially locating and retaining one or more of the components of a multi-component seal once the seal has been installed into the bearing assembly. A further need exists for an outboard bearing support cartridge adapted for mounting to a common end plate to which an inboard bearing support cartridge may alternatively be mounted. Additionally, a need exists for material handling equipment that includes a common end plate adapted for accepting either an inboard bearing support cartridge or an outboard bearing support cartridge in order to provide end users flexibility to change between inboard and outboard bearing configurations if changes in application or unexpected circumstances occur.